4 bodies, including children, found floating in sea in Kanagawa in apparent murder-suicide

KANAGAWA — Kanagawa prefectural police have confirmed that four bodies found floating in the sea near a beach in Manazuru town, Kanagawa Prefecture, are a family.

According to police, a passerby called 110 at 6 a.m. on Tuesday and said that a woman was floating in the sea at Kotogahama Beach, TV Asahi reported.

Police and other emergency personnel arrived and found two girls floating near the beach. A woman was found in Manazuru Port, about one kilometer away and a man's body was floating under a bridge one kilometer further from the port. All four were clothed and confirmed dead in what police suspect was a murder-suicide.

Police on Thursday said the four were a 47-year-old male company employee, his 45-year-old wife, their 8-year-old eldest daughter and their 6-year-old youngest daughter.

The man's car and two pairs of adult shoes were found on the Iwa Ohashi Bridge, which spans the sea near Manazuru port. Two pairs of children's sandals were found inside the car. A suicide note was also found at their home.

Police said autopsies will be conducted to determine the cause of death of each family member.

© Japan Today